News: Spitting, Lohan, Chris Carmack, Bay to Breakers, Tina Brown

Activists' Paris arrest on International Day Against Homophobia leads to meeting with Human Rights Minister, Rama Yade, and promise to push for "a European initiative calling for the universal decriminalisation of homosexuality" at the United Nations.

Chris Carmack plays to his strengths.

Living Lohan to win award for most mind-numbing reality trash of the summer — watch.

Washington Post op-ed writer Kathleen Parker pens offensive column on Obama and Edwards' 'gay' relationship.

Jack Mackenroth not returning to Project Runway next season.

When Ellen wears a certain jacket, watch for a gay rights alert.

Catholic church offering "ex-gay" therapy in Poland: “When you want a candy for example, you can resist and have it later. And you can trade it for a piece of chocolate.”

Maryland senator Richard Madaleno hopeful at state's same-sex marriage prospects.

Gay Canadian peace activist barred from speaking at Catholic church because of his views on marriage. Bishop: "Everyone is always welcome to come to our church, but not everyone is welcome to speak in front of our congregation. If someone wanted to come talk about the environment, which is a wonderful thing, but was actively pro-choice (on abortion) we wouldn't allow them to present either. It just doesn't add up."

The Big Gay Sketch Show's Paolo Andino talks Cuba, cash, and cookies with QueerCents: "Both my mother and father started from nothing when they came to this country as teens. Castro only allowed women to take two dresses and a pair of shoes out of the country. My parents didn’t believe in an allowance, I mowed lawns from the age of 10 to earn some spending cash. My favorite thing to buy was a half-gallon of Heavenly Hash Ice Cream for the family — I always liked to splurge!"

Tina Brown working on spy film about Noel Coward.

Jake Gyllenhaal steps out in spandex again. Is a marriage proposal in the works?

Gay British soldier claims he was dropped from the Special Air Services (SAS) over his sexuality: "Army sources expressed anger at the claims by former Corporal Kenna, saying that he was never a proper member of the SAS, but was 'a general duties soldier' in support of the regiment at Hereford. 'He wasn’t required to pass the SAS fitness tests and failed the one he did do,' one source said. The sources said the corporal was ousted from the special forces because it was considered he was unsuitable for that line of work, although he had served in the SAS for two years, including tours in Iraq."

Freaks come out for San Francisco's Bay to Breakers race.

Christian registrar in the UK taking government to tribunal over refusal to perform same-sex civil partnerships: "Miss Ladele, who has worked in the registration service for nearly 16 years, said she held 'orthodox Christian beliefs' about marriage and same sex unions. She said in a statement: 'The law places a duty on local authorities to provide civil partnership registration, but does not require all registrars to take part in the registration process. My local authority provides a civil partnership service, but it is one that it agrees does not actually require my involvement. Since 2004 I have therefore been asking to be excused from civil partnership duties, allowing my colleagues to do these duties instead."

The president of Poland, the leader of Uganda, and the UK Home Office named to the Human Rights Hall of Shame "for their actions in the past year in endangering LGBT people's dignity, families, and safety." Here are last year's winners.

Man dies in spitting contest.

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John Edwards Endorses Barack Obama

John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama this evening in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was an endorsement which included much praise for Hillary Clinton.

I've clipped the endorsement, and posted it AFTER THE JUMP...

Part one on the left, two on the right.

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As John Edwards Drops Out, Clinton and Obama Rush to Praise

And then there were two.

As soon as John Edwards withdrew from the presidential race yesterday, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were swift to praise their former rival. Edwards did not immediately offer an endorsement of either of them. Edwards' speech, which he gave in New Orleans, is on the left. Coverage of Clinton and Obama, on the right.

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John Edwards Dropping Out of Presidential Race

AP reports:

"Democrat John Edwards is exiting the presidential race Wednesday, ending a scrappy underdog bid in which he steered his rivals toward progressive ideals while grappling with family hardship that roused voter's sympathies but never diverted his campaign, The Associated Press has learned. The two-time White House candidate notified a close circle of senior advisers that he planned to make the announcement at a 1 p.m. EST event in New Orleans that had been billed as a speech on poverty, according to two of his advisers. The decision came after Edwards lost the four states to hold nominating contests so far to rivals who stole the spotlight from the beginning—Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama."

Who will he endorse?

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Obama Wins South Carolina Primary, Gets Kennedy Endorsement

As you probably know by now, Barack Obama handily won the South Carolina primary on Saturday, beating Senator Hillary Clinton with 55% of the vote to Clinton's 27%. John Edwards received 18% of the vote.

Above, Obama's acceptance speech, which has winning plenty of praise over the weekend.

Obama got a symbolic Democratic endorsement over the weekend from Caroline Kennedy, in an op-ed piece in the
New York Times, to be followed today in a one-two punch to Clinton by an endorsement from Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy.

Said Caroline: "My reasons are patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined. All my life, people have told me that my father changed their lives, that they got involved in public service or politics because he asked them to. And the generation he inspired has passed that spirit on to its children. I meet young people who were born long after John F. Kennedy was president, yet who ask me how to live out his ideals. Sometimes it takes a while to recognize that someone has a special ability to get us to believe in ourselves, to tie that belief to our highest ideals and imagine that together we can do great things. In those rare moments, when such a person comes along, we need to put aside our plans and reach for what we know is possible. We have that kind of opportunity with Senator Obama."

An associate of Ted Kennedy told the Boston Globe the reasoning behind the Senator's move to Obama: "Kennedy believes Obama can 'transcend race' and bring unity to the country, a Kennedy associate told the Globe. Kennedy was also impressed by Obama's deep involvement last year in the bipartisan effort to craft legislation on immigration reform, a politically touchy subject the other presidential candidates avoided, [Kennedy's] associate said. The coveted endorsement is a huge blow to New York Senator Hillary Clinton, who is both a senatorial colleague and a friend of the Kennedy family. In a campaign where Clinton has trumpeted her experience over Obama's call for hope and change, the endorsement by one of the most experienced and respected Democrats in the Senate is a particularly dramatic coup for Obama."

Senator Kennedy will reportedly make his endorsement at a rally today. Kennedy's endorsement comes despite "a last-ditch effort over the last few days" from the Clinton campaign, according to Politico.

Meanwhile, Bill Clinton, who campaigned heavily for his wife in South Carolina, seemed to ignore calls to leave race out of the contest on Saturday when he declared "Jesse Jackson won South Carolina in '84 and '88. Jackson ran a good campaign. And Obama ran a good campaign here." (clip below)

The Clinton campaign was said on Sunday to be "reeling in" the former President: "Campaign officials, without acknowledging any faults on Mr. Clinton's part, have said they will change tactics and try to shift Mr. Clinton back into the role he played before her loss in the Iowa caucuses, emphasizing her record and experience and steering clear of criticizing Mr. Obama."

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #232

MITT ROMNEY: At a MLK event in Jacksonville, Florida, Romney asks, "Who let the dogs out?" Then barks.

TOM CRUISE ROASTED: Craig Ferguson sends up the Scientologist.

TYRA BANKS: Asks John Edwards what it's like to be a minority candidate? (source: nymag)

BILL HAS A DREAM: Clinton nods off during MLK service at the Convent Avenue Baptist Church in Harlem.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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David Letterman Messes John Edwards' Hair Up

John Edwards made an appearance on The Late Show last night and spoke about candidate bickering, his potential vice president choices, Bill O'Reilly, and celebrity endorsements. Then he dared to mess up the well-coiffed candidate.

In related news, Clinton and Edwards held a private meeting following the South Carolina debate:

"The meeting took place in the Edwards campaign green room. One of the sources said the meeting happened by chance and the conversation consisted of light chatter. The source added that Clinton did jokingly take a jab at Edwards about his beating up on her during the debate. In fact, the real fireworks were between Clinton and Barack Obama. An Edwards source noted that it was not surprising the two senators met backstage. 'That happens back there,' said the source, who said it has happened 'more often' with Obama. 'It’s tight quarters – we’re all on top of each other.' The question is — with only two weeks before Super Tuesday — what else was discussed?"

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Clinton, Obama Spar in Heated South Carolina Debate

Above, left, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama sparred in the most heated exchange so far (left) in the Democratic presidential contest. A few words from John Edwards on the right.

Gay people were mentioned once during the debate during a question to Obama about evangelical voters.

Said Obama: "I think there have been times — there have been times where our Democratic Party did not reach out as aggressively as we could to evangelicals, for example, because the assumption was, well, they don’t agree with us on choice, or they don’t agree with us on gay rights, and so we just shouldn’t show up. And when you don’t show up, if you’re not going to church, then you’re not talking to church folk. And that means that people have a very right-wing perspective in terms of what faith means and of defining our faith....And as somebody who believes deeply in the precepts of Jesus Christ, particularly treating the least of these in a way that he would, that it is important for us to not concede that ground. Because I think we can go after those folks and get them."

Below, a three-minute clip of the debate, with highlights of the jabs and one-liners.

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #224

JOHN EDWARDS: Talks to Wolf Blitzer on The Situation Room from South Carolina about the New Hampshire primary and his plans for the next few states.

TEARS: Jesse Jackson, Jr. says Obama campaign analyzing Hillary Clinton's waterworks.

GLORIA ALLRED: Of course she has something to say about Britney Spears. (source: popbytes)

CHOIRE SICHA: His perspective on a New Hampshire Huckabee primary event.

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Hillary Clinton, John McCain Take New Hampshire Primary

Senator Hillary Clinton defied media predictions to win the New Hampshire Democratic primary ensuring a lengthier battle for the Democratic nomination, which will ultimately benefit the voters. John McCain trounced his competitors in a resounding win over Mitt Romney on the Republican side.

The NY Times reports: "The success of Mrs. Clinton and Mr. McCain followed their third- and fourth-place finishes in the Iowa caucuses last week. Mrs. Clinton’s victory came after her advisers had lowered expectations with talk of missteps in strategy and concern about Mr. Obama’s momentum after his first-place finish in Iowa. Her team is now planning to add advisers and undertake a huge fund-raising drive to prepare for a tough and expensive fight with Mr. Obama in the Democratic nominating contests over the next four weeks. Mr. McCain had pursued a meticulous and dogged turnaround effort: his second bid for the White House was in tatters last summer because of weak fund-raising and a blurred political message, leading him to fire senior advisers and refocus his energy on New Hampshire."

Clinton and Obama's speeches:

Hillary Clinton: "I come tonight with a very, very full heart. And I want especially to thank New Hampshire. Over the last week I listened to you, and in the process, I found my own voice."

Barack Obama: "I am still fired up and ready to go."

Here's John Edwards' speech. Looks like Edwards got the Desperate Housewives vote:

The Democratic leaders Clinton and Obama left the state even on NH delegates, however. Via the AP: "Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama each won nine delegates in New Hampshire's Democratic primary, followed by former Sen. John Edwards with 4 delegates, an AP analysis of primary results shows. All 22 of New Hampshire's delegates to the national convention this summer have been allocated. Clinton and Obama won the same number of delegates, even though Clinton edged Obama in votes, because New Hampshire awards delegates proportionally, and the vote was relatively close. In the overall race for the nomination, Clinton leads with 187 delegates, including separately chosen party and elected officials known as superdelegates. She is followed by Obama with 89 delegates and Edwards with 50." More on the delegate breakdown, including Republican numbers, here...

Here are excerpts from McCain's speech and MSNBC's analysis. MSNBC ripped McCain speech..."If this is your introduction to America in 2008, do not have your head down looking into a speech...(cackling) It looked like every advisor that he'd ever had had given him one paragraph, one sentence and he read them all...that he dropped them on the way to the podium and resorted them and read them in order..."

TPM: Making Sense of It..."What's exciting about this, just speaking for myself, is that we're now on to a solid month of campaigning before the big cluster of contests on February 5th. Both candidates have had a riveting win. We've got a real battle on our hands. And I do not think that any of Clinton's critics can say that she won this one by overpowering Obama with money or mobilizing a dominating political machine or by expectations of inevitability and certainly not with the help of a friendly press. However you slice it this was a real victory under pressure. And if she's the nominee she'll be a much better one for it."

Media blew it: "This should be seen as downright liberating to the 48 states which have not voted yet. Because it means that everyone who hasn't yet voted should now rightfully conclude: "Those guys don't know what they're talking about. I'm voting for who I really want to win. Who knows, maybe they will!" To paraphrase (no relation to Hillary, of course) the immortal words of George Clinton: Free your mind, and your vote will follow."

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #221

ROMNEY SIGN THUGS: Dirty tricks in the dirty snow of New Hampshire.

PIMPSTAR: The next generation in annoying hubcaps.

HILLARY HECKLED: Sexist demonstrators yell "iron my shirt!"

JOHN EDWARDS: MSNBC's Morning Joe asks John Edwards about Hillary and shedding tears on the campaign trail.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here

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In New Hampshire, Obama Rides Wave of Iowa Success

The clip most circulated from Friday night's post-Iowa caucus debate was the clip above of Hillary Clinton defending her record as an "agent of change" which is clearly the message Obama has had such success in communicating thus far. As Jake Tapper noted, she's angry, with good reason. Nearly every recent poll out of New Hampshire shows Obama with a double-digit lead.

The Toronto Star reports on the scene at a Derry, NH Obama campaign stop: Inside, teenagers, mostly young girls, slouched over the security barricades, digital cameras dangling from their wrists, cellphones clutched in firm grips. When he finally arrived, more than 90 minutes late, adding to the excruciating wait of the long afternoon, flashbulbs popped from all directions and for a couple of moments Pinkerton Academy gym was awash in strobe lights like some cheesy '80s disco.This is the wave Obama has ridden into New Hampshire, but it is a wave Hillary Clinton is mightily pushing back against, challenging voters to look beyond the rhetorical crescendos offered by the Illinois senator and probe beyond the words."

CNN-WMUR poll: Obama 39, Clinton 29, Edwards 16
ARG poll: Obama 39, Clinton 28, Edwards 22
Rasmussen: Obama 39, Clinton 27, Edwards 18
USA Today/Gallup: Obama 41, Clinton 28, Edwards 19

Bill Clinton told MTV news that Hillary underestimated the youth vote in Iowa: "I think historically young people have not voted in the Iowa caucus because they are from other states. This time we had a lot of students who did come back and I think, frankly, thousands and thousands of them came back from Illinois to support Senator Obama, and they had a very aggressive outreach. And we haven't made that mistake here; we've reached out to young people here and I think we just have to keep trying."

On the Republican side, McCain is coming on strong: "Wide open and intense, the race for the Republican nomination has gotten ever tighter ahead of Tuesday's voting. A new USA Today/Gallup poll showed the Republican race tied in New Hampshire. McCain had the support of 34 percent of likely voters, up from 27 percent in mid-December. Romney was at 30 percent, down from 34 percent, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee - the Iowa caucus winner - was third at 13 percent. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani had 8 percent, while former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson was in the low single digits. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas - who had 8 percent - was excluded from the debate by the sponsor, Fox News Channel, and the New Hampshire Republican Party dropped out of the forum to protest the exclusion."

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Obama and Huckabee Take Nation's First Caucus in Iowa

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee won their respective races in the Iowa caucuses Thursday night, leaving leftover candidates from both parties either scrambling for their next move or on their way out. Senator Hillary Clinton and John Edwards came within a percentage point of one another in the race for second place on the Democratic side, with Edwards edging out Clinton by a hair.

On the Republican side, second-place winner Mitt Romney was not even close, leaving a wide-open opportunity for John McCain in New Hampshire next week, where his support has risen in recent weeks.

The numbers came in like this: " Mr. Huckabee won with 34.4 percent of the delegate support, after 86 percent of precincts had reported. Mr. Romney had 25.4 percent, former Senator Fred D. Thompson of Tennessee had 13.4 percent and Senator John McCain of Arizona had 13.2 percent. On the Democratic side, with 100 percent of precincts reporting, Mr. Obama had 37.6 percent of the delegate support, Mr. Edwards 29.8 percent and Mrs. Clinton had 29.5 percent. Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico was fourth, at 2.11 percent."

Other details:

Massive turnout bad omen for the GOP.
Chris Dodd, Joe Biden drop out of Democratic race...
Keith Olbermann declares that Mike Gravel has dropped out of the race, and Gravel demands a retraction!
Thompson finishes in near-tie for third with John McCain...
McCain reacted from New Hampshire: "I think that the lesson of this election is that, one, you can't buy an election in Iowa; and, two, that negative campaigns don't work. They don't work there, and they don't work here in New Hampshire."
Giuliani vows to fight on after poor showing.
Independents go for Obama and Ron Paul.

Check out what the candidates had to say (Clips of ALL THE SPEECHES) about their respective wins and losses, AFTER THE JUMP...

OBAMA: "You know, they said this day would never come. They said our sights were set too high. They said this country was too divided, too disillusioned to ever come together around a common purpose. But on this January night, at this defining moment in history, you have done what the cynics said we couldn't do. . . . You have done what America can do in this new year, 2008."

HUCKABEE: "What is happening tonight in Iowa is going to start really a prairie fire of new hope and zeal. And it's already happening across this nation because it is about we; we the people. We saw it tonight. . . . And we're going to continue to see it because this country yearns and is hungry for leadership that recognizes that when one is elected to public office, one is not elected to be a part of the ruling class; he's elected to be a part of the serving class."

CLINTON: "We're going to take this enthusiasm and go straight to New Hampshire...We have always planned on running a national campaign all the way through the early contests...What is most important now is that, as we go on with this contest, that we keep focused on the two big issues, that we answer correctly the questions that each of us has posed. How will we win in November 2008, by nominating a candidate who will be able to go the distance? And who will be the best president on day one? I am ready for that contest."

EDWARDS: "The one thing that's clear from the results in Iowa tonight is the status quo lost and change won. And now we move on. We move on from Iowa to New Hampshire and to the other states to determine who's best suited to bring about the change that this country so desperately needed."

ROMNEY: "Well, well, we won the silver. But just as Dan Jansen pointed out - you win the silver in one event, it doesn't mean you're not going to come back and win the gold in the final event."

THOMPSON: “It looks like someone’s gonna have to carry a strong conservative message, and it looks like it’s gonna be me.”

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John Edwards Upbeat as New Poll Shows Him Ahead in Iowa

A new InsiderAdvantage poll shows John Edwards jumping ahead of both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in Iowa. Last night he talked to Chris Matthews on Hardball and Matthews asked him about why it looks like he's moving forward.

Said Edwards: "I mean, there’s been some fussing going on between them. I just got to -- I know what to do in Iowa. I know how to close there. People there want to see you speak from your gut. They want to see passion and energy. They want it to be real. And when I talk about doing something about corporate power and how it’s affecting the government, they respond."

Matthews also asked him why, as a Southerner with a "charming rural Southern manner" like Huckabee (who continues to lead on the GOP side), Edwards doesn't "cite the Lord the way he does."

Said Edwards: "Well, God and my faith are enormously important to me personally. They’ve gotten me through, my faith in the Lord has gotten me through some very, very difficult times in my own life. But I don’t think it’s my job as either a presidential candidate or president of the United States to impose my faith on anybody. If I get asked about it, I’ll answer the question honestly. I’ll tell anybody how important my faith is to me every single day. But it’s not something that I think is my job as president or presidential candidate."

Recently
Leading Gay Rights Group in New Hampshire Endorses Edwards [tr]
New John Edwards Iowa Spot Goes to the Movies [tr]

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Leading Gay Rights Group in New Hampshire Endorses Edwards

While we're on the topic of John Edwards, the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition has endorsed him for President.

The group said, in a press release: "We took a long look at all of the candidates, we met with many of them, and in our judgment, John Edwards's sincere commitment to battling discrimination and ensuring equal rights for every American is unparalleled," the group's executive director, state representative Mo Baxley, said in the release. "He and his wonderful wife, Elizabeth, have spent their entire lives fighting for those without a voice and standing up for what is right. John Edwards will be the kind of president we can trust to stand up for everyday Americans."

Civil Unions in the state take effect one week before the state's primary making them a potential wedge issue.

AP: "Republicans who decide to run with the issue in hopes of energizing their GOP base could also be seen as gay-bashers and alienate the state's political independents. There are a lot of those in New Hampshire, and they can choose either party's ballot in the Jan. 8 primary, exactly one week after the new civil unions law takes effect. The law won't come in quietly. 'We hear reports of couples planning ceremonies for 12:01 on New Year's Eve. I'm certain this will be something that is in the news,' said Fergus Cullen, chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party. 'It will remind moderates and independents in New Hampshire that they didn't plan on civil unions and same-sex marriage when they voted for Democrats last year...There are lots of people who are tolerant of other lifestyles who nonetheless don't believe in same-sex marriage and think that Democrats in New Hampshire made a mistake when they allowed that this year."

Still, the new civil union laws apparently haven't affected Governor John Lynch's popularity: "On the other hand, when Democratic Gov. John Lynch signed the law in May, some conservatives predicted he would take a hit in the polls. It didn't happen, and in July the second-term governor still had 76 percent support, according to a University of New Hampshire poll for CNN and WMUR-TV."

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New John Edwards Iowa Spot Goes to the Movies

In his latest Iowa spot, John Edwards uses Bush's "Mission Accomplished" moment and that movie trailer voice-over guy to present himself as an Iowa hero. But can he bring home the Oscar?

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Oprah Winfrey Draws Huge Crowds for Obama in Iowa, SC, NH

This weekend's Democratic horserace was all about Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama.

In Des Moines, Iowa, 18,500 people showed up to see Winfrey campaign for Obama:

"In Des Moines, spectators lined up hours early. Cameras flashed in the capacity crowd during Winfrey's speech, which opened and closed to loud applause and was frequently interrupted by cries of 'We love Oprah.' Winfrey said she felt nervous and "out of my pew" as she addressed a gathering hall packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the largest gathering of Iowans in the campaign this year. But she did not hide her political convictions, making an argument for change from the Bush administration other than another Clinton in the White House."

Here is Oprah's Iowa speech:

The Oprama Tour then moved to South Carolina, where the tone turned decidedly more Christian, according to Politico:

"'I give all praise and honor to God,' Obama began. 'Look at the day the Lord has made.' Obama's wife, Michelle, opened the rally with a description of her husband that could, at moments, have been a description of Jesus Christ. 'We need a leader who's going to touch our souls. Who's going to make us feel differently about one another? Who's going to remind us that we are one another’s keepers? That we are only as strong as the weakest among us,' she said, echoing biblical passages. Winfrey also touched on Christian themes that had not been highlighted in Iowa. 'It's amazing grace that brought me here,' she began, adding that she was 'stepping out of my pew' - television – to engage in politics. It isn't enough to tell the truth, Winfrey said. 'We need politicians who know how to be the truth.'"

The duo then made their way to New Hampshire, where 'Oprahpalooza', as many are calling it, was "the most attended political event in recent history," according to the Boston Globe:

"On the weekend before the New Hampshire Primary in 2004, Wesley Clark drew 3,000 with filmmaker Michael Moore. Then the weekend before the general election that year President Bush tried highly unsuccessfully to fill the Verizon Wireless Arena and the next day John Kerry held a 5,000 person rally in the streets of downtown Manchester. The event was also remarkable for its stagecraft. Over 30 television cameras, blaring music, grand, long entrances from both Oprah and Obama with standing ovations added to the idea that something was different about this rally. The crowd clinged to Oprah and her stories. Teenage girls shook like they saw a member of the Beatles when she was introduced to a 30 second standing ovation. But while Obama started strong he also went long -- some 40 minutes -- and some yawns were visible in the audience."

Meanwhile, civil rights figure Andrew Young and former mayor of Atlanta made headlines with an online interview in which he said Barack Obama may be too young for the job.

Young said Hillary had Bill Clinton behind her, strengthening the "machine" that could not only fight off brutal attacks from rivals but also get her elected: "Bill is every bit as black as Barack," and joked, "He's probably gone with more black women than Barack." Said Young: "I want Barack Obama to be president — in 2016...It's not a matter of being inexperienced. It's a matter of being young. There's a certain level of maturity ... you've got to learn to take a certain amount of (expletive)."

Rival candidates did their best to attempt to counterprogram the Oprah juggernaut, with Hillary Clinton enlisting Bill in South Carolina and Chelsea in Iowa, and Edwards holding a strategically-timed conference call:

"[Teresa Wells, a spokeswoman in South Carolina for the Edwards campaign] added that the conference call was held in part because some of Mr. Edwards’s top African-American endorsers are frustrated when they see the news media portray the campaign as 'a two-person race for the African-American vote and we’re not in it.' She said that on the ground they see blacks supporting Mr. Edwards, but that is not conveyed by the media."

Oprah Lends Star Power to Obama in Iowa [ap]

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Bush and the NIE Iran Report: Edwards and Huckabee React

Following up on this news from yesterday...

Here are a couple of clips related to the recently revealed information that Bush knew of the NIE report that said Iran had ended its nuclear weapons program in 2003 months before he warned America of the threat of World War III should Iran's weapons program not be halted.

The first is Bush's press conference yesterday, and the second is John Edwards' appearance on the Today show.

Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo makes a good point: "If you look closely at what President Bush said this morning about the Iran intelligence, his dodge about what he knew and when is actually worse than the charge he was trying to deny. The essence of what President Bush was saying was that whatever chatter he may have heard last summer, he didn't hear the key details until this week. If you take at face value what the president is saying, his spy chief, Mike McConnell, comes in to the president and says, 'Mr. President, we've got some important new information on the Iran nuclear front.' And the president apparently says, okay. And then he doesn't ask him what the information was."

Meanwhile, Mike Huckabee says, "Huh?"

Don't miss...
NIE Report Contradicts White House 'World War III' Iran Rhetoric [tr]

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John Edwards Attacks Clinton Campaign Question Plants

John Edwards has released a video attacking Hillary Clinton for the recent admissions by Clinton campaign staffers that certain questions were planted at campaign appearances, along with a biting website called Plants for Hillary. The video is the second in recent weeks in which Edwards has directly gone after Clinton.

Slate reports: "The senator insists she doesn't condone question-planting, and claims she didn't know what her staffers were up to, but not everyone buys her story."

UPDATE: New evidence has recently surfaced that some of the questions suggested by media outlets like The Nation to be possible plants, are in fact queries generated by the questioners themselves.

Tonight's CNN debate in Las Vegas co-sponsored by the Nevada Democratic Party should be the toughest one yet. Clinton remains the frontrunner, although her lead has narrowed since the last debate, which was a virtual feeding frenzy during which she stumbled, and later declared to be "not her best".

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #194

KEITH OLBERMANN: A recent eviscerating special comment on waterboarding.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Introduces Nancy Pelosi at the Glamour Women of the Year awards.

THE POLITICS OF PARSING: John Edwards unleashes attack video on Clinton positions. Clinton: "I wasn't at my best the other night. We've had a bunch of debates and I wouldn't rank that up in my very top list. But I've answered probably, I don't know, more than 5,000 questions over the last 10 months and I have been very clear about where I stand and what I want to do for the country."

VICTORIA BECKHAM: Promo for her appearance on Ugly Betty this Thursday.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here!

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #193

DAN ABRAMS: On Washington State Rep. Richard Curtis and Republican hypocrites, plus interview with Cody Castagna.

AMY WINEHOUSE: Gives a very shaky performance of "Back to Black" at the MTV European Music Awards.

JONATHAN PAPELBON: The Boston Red Sox pitcher appears on David Letterman.

JOHN EDWARDS: Fresh off the recent debate, Edwards is out with a new 60-second ad.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here!

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LGBT Supporters of John Edwards Issue Letter to Media

LGBT supporters of John Edwards are making a renewed push for their candidate, in a letter sent to media this afternoon arguing, among other things, that "Edwards is the Democrat with the best chance to regain the White House against all of the top Republican candidates and offers the best chance to help Democrats get elected in some of the toughest races in the country because of his appeal in traditionally 'red' areas." Read the letter here. (PDF)

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Democrats Debate at Drexel University

Above, the first ten minutes of last night's debate at Drexel University. Right off the bat Obama likened his rivalry with Clinton to that of Rocky and Apollo Creed, calling himself Rocky, a tag that inspired disapproving murmurs from the audience. Clinton responded by announcing she's the subject of conversation and consternation by the Republicans for a good reason. Edwards goes at Clinton from the other side, saying Americans deserve a President that will tell them the truth.

Below, Joe Biden slams Rudy Giuliani's lack of qualifications for President, and Dennis Kucinich calls for the impeachment of George W. Bush.

Also, check out the New York Times interactive debate transcript for additional highlights.

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News: ENDA, Diane Arbus, Iraq Deaths, Elizabeth Taylor

Polling agency suggests more than 1,000,000 Iraqi citzens killed since U.S. invaded Iraq.

Wentworth Miller's Prison Break co-star Dominic Purcell gets behind actor's gay denial: "People like to jump to conclusions about him. Went is not gay. I’ve tried it on him many times and he just buffs me right back."

Will Elizabeth Taylor marry for the ninth time?

Gay soldiers react to bigoted comments by General Peter Pace. Antonio Agnone: ""I was actually shocked that he stumbled back into that area of questioning. When he talks about morality, that doesn't have any place. His personal beliefs shouldn't be what he's relying on a day-to-day basis. He broke regulations; he's not supposed to voice his personal opinion."

Democratic Leadership in the House considering dropping trans-inclusive language from the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Lane Hudson: "Democrats in general have come under fire from gay activists and funders for a lack of action on legislative priorities such as ENDA and hate crimes. HRC has also come under criticism for the same lack of progress. Both are desperately in need of substantive victories to appease their constituencies. In addition, Speaker Pelosi is slated to receive a major award at HRC's National Dinner next weekend. It's unclear how she will be received in light of this development. All of this boils down to whether we should sacrifice transgender inclusion in the ENDA legislation in order to pass a bill in the immediate future. For me, the answer is simple. No one should be left behind at the convenience of others. It is a moral obligation and a defining moment in the movement for equal rights under the law."

Awards honor best science images of 2007.

Illegal immigrant loses life savings in pursuit of American Dream.

Matthew McConaughey looks awfully strange with clothes on.

Bill O'Reilly on critics of his Harlem restaurant remarks: "[I]f I could strangle these people and not go to hell and get executed ... I would -- but I can't. ... All I can do is expose them. And I will."

Remember the Diane Arbus twins? Now they're all grown up.

Iowa pastors plan October 28 rally supporting amendment to ban gay marriage: "This is not about hate but about differences of beliefs. God's word is clear to us that marriage is only between one man and woman."

Three women in Chicago accuse off-duty police officer of threatening them and roughing them up after this year's pride parade: "According to the lawsuit, a vehicle driven by Fuery came upon a car moving at 30 mph on Interstate 55 after the June 24 parade. Fuery beeped her horn, and Szura responded by slamming on his brakes, speeding up and switching lanes, making it impossible for Fuery to pass, the lawsuit said. Fuery was forced to the shoulder, where Szura screamed words such as 'dyke' and spit at her, according to the lawsuit. The women claim he stuck a gun in Fuery's abdomen, 'causing her to fear for her life.'"

Rosie O'Donnell hangs with her Nip/Tuck castmates.

Meet Project Runway 4's Jack Mackenroth...

A look at at John Edwards' proposed HIV/AIDS program.

Anti-gay lawyer Jack Thompson may be brought down for presenting a judge with graphic gay porn photos as evidence in a suit against gay publisher Norm Kent.

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #171

ARI GOLD: Brand new video animated by Joe Phillips for "Where the Music Takes You". Lots more on the video from Arjan.

JAKE GYLLENHAAL: AJ Hammer asks Jake his opinions on the use of torture.

JOHN EDWARDS: Edwards paid for this ad on MSNBC that aired after Bush's speech last night.

TYRA BANKS: Has some words for Britney Spears.